


Nothing's Forever

by chanonfire



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-29 04:05:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6358663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chanonfire/pseuds/chanonfire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I'll be waiting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing's Forever

“You’ll be fine.” Junhui gently caresses the man’s wrinkled hand.

Minghao turns his head to face the young boy that had tears streaming down his face. He doesn’t recognize the boy but he lets him hold his hand anyways.

“Hey… tell me,” a cough escapes Minghao’s mouth. “Just who are you again?”

Junhui doesn’t respond, instead he smiles at the man lying on his death bed.

“Well, it doesn’t matter.” Minghao coughs again and places his hand on Junhui’s cheek, “something tells me that you have been good to me.”

“Go to sleep, Minghao—you’ll wake up better tomorrow.”

Minghao stares blankly at Junhui as he pulls the covers over his body, his eyes opening widely but he closes them for the last time.

“Junhui, I’m sorry I couldn’t stay by your side forever.”

Those were the last words that Junhui heard from the love of his life. Though he knew that this would eventually come, Jun couldn’t accept Minghao’s death. After all, he was the reason that made Junhui’s life just a little more bearable.

“Next time I see you, I’ll hold onto you and never let go.” Junhui places a rose on Minghao’s grave and walks away.

This is the beginning of a life without Minghao.

It’s always the same routine each morning for Junhui. Wake up, fix bed, take shower, and drink a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper. Has he grown used to the fact that the love of his life is no longer with him? Not quite, but Junhui has accepted that there will never come a time where he and Minghao will be able to live a life together.

_Young Pianist Jun will hold first solo concert in October_

That’s right. Ever since Minghao died one hundred years ago, Junhui has focused on one thing: music. Having spent an eternity by himself, Junhui has been able to master any skill that he desired to learn. For this life time, it was the piano that caught his eyes. The piano was the only thing that distracted him from the pain. But sometimes not even the most blissful distractions can keep you from thinking about the things you are trying to forget.

Junhui lets out a deep sigh and gets up from the dining table. He heads to his room and puts on the newest suit he bought and heads out to the Beijing concert hall.

–

“As expected from our Jun!” Ming Ming walked onto the stage and clapped Junhui on the back. “You are more than ready for your solo concert.”

“Ming Ming? How many people are attending my concert?” Junhui got up from his seat and walked backstage, Ming Ming following closely behind.

“Eight thousand.”

“Is that so? Oh, have I told you that I’m leaving to Anshan today?” Junhui put on his coat and started leaving the concert hall.

“No! Jun, you have a concert in a week. How can you possibly think to leave Beijing with only a few days left?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back a couple of days before the concert.”

Junhui was already in a cab taking him to the train station before Ming Ming could protest more.

–

These are the times when Junhui needs to see Minghao the most. Whenever Junhui reaches an accomplishment, the only person he can celebrate with is Minghao.

Junhui looks out the window and stares at the darkness of the train tunnel.

_What’s it like to die? I wouldn’t know._

Junhui looks away from the window and down to his hands. He smiles to himself as he remembers the time when his hands held onto Minghao’s. Junhui’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the speakers informing the passengers that they were almost at Anshan. Junhui stood up and walked towards the train doors.

_Have you been waiting?_

Junhui places a single rose on a stranger’s grave. It’s been decades since they took of Minghao’s stone but he still comes and visits.

_I know it’s been a while since I last visited you, I’m sorry. But I came with good news! I have a solo concert in a couple of days! I’ll be thinking of you. Will you come and watch me play?_

Junhui wipes away a couple of tears off his cheeks.

_Minghao, they call me Jun now. I don’t know how to feel about it. I guess its okay in a way… my real name only sounds nice when you say it anyways._

Before Junhui can say more he stops in his tracks and stares at the unfamiliar name on the stone. This is not Minghao that he is talking to. He bows deeply before the tomb and leaves the graveyard. Ten voicemails, ninety eight text messages, thirty two text messages.

“Hello?” Junhui picks up his phone.

“Jun, where are you?!” Ming Ming sounds breathless on the other line.

“Ming Ming, are you okay?” Junhui looks up from the sidewalk and takes in the new scenery in Anshan.

“Answer my question!”

“I’m in Anshan, I told you.”

“When will you come back?” Ming Ming responds with a sigh.

“I will be back earlier than planned… so tomorrow? Anyways, I have to go. See you tomorrow.” Without another word Junhui hangs up the phone.

It’s strange how things can change in such a short amount of time. One hundred years may seem like a long time for everyone but that wasn’t the case with Junhui. A century was a short amount for him, in fact. But it so happened that this was also one century that has taken a long time to pass.

Junhui enters a bar and he drinks away his pain, something he hasn’t done in a while. All Junhui remembers is leaving a couple of bills on the counter and exiting the bar, his vision blurry from the alcohol.

“One train to Beijing.” He hiccups and hands the old lady money.

And he goes blank.

–

“You’re awake?”

Junhui wakes up with Ming Ming’s face in his.

“What happened?” Junhui sits up on his bed and rubs his eyes.

“You passed out in the train. Luckily a fan recognized you and called me with your cellphone.”

The only sound heard in the room was the ticking off the clock.

“Jun,” Ming Ming pours him a coup of water and hands it to him. “Is something wrong?”

“Life is what is wrong.” Junhui answers without hesitating.

“How so?”

“The earth is suffocating.” Junhui swallows the whole glass of water in one gulp.

Ming Ming burst into a fit of laughter and gets up from his seat.

“Only you would quote Chopin.” He wipes off the tears that were threatening to fall. “But you know– if the earth is suffocating you, just create a world of your own.”

“Trust me, Chopin Jr., I have tried.”

“Then give your pain therapy by playing piano. Get some rest, Jun. I need you in top condition Saturday.”

With that said, Ming Ming leaves Junhui’s room. Once again is Junhui is left alone. Junhui gets up from his bed and heads to the bathroom for a shower.

–

“Are you ready?” Ming Ming adjusts Junhui’s tie.

“I have been ready for a century.” _Literally._

Ming Ming smiles and pats Junhui on his shoulder and walks him to the entrance of the stage.

“You’ll do great, I know you will.”

Junhui nods and bows to him one last time. With a deep breath, he opens the doors and walks into the stage. The audience applauds the moment they see Junhui walking across the stage. He smiles slightly and bows before taking a seat in front of the piano.  Time passes by so quickly when Junhui plays piano. Before he knows it, he was already playing the ending piece of his first solo concert. There was one particular piece that always got Junhui to the verge of tears.

_Chopin Etude Op.10 No.3_

Calm in the beginning.

He remembers the first years of loving Minghao, how everything seemed like it was falling into place.

Sorrowful in the middle.

Junhui realizes that Minghao wouldn’t be able to stay by his side forever. No matter how much he tried to forget about this important fact, Minghao’s death proved that is was something you couldn’t ignore.

Peaceful in the end.

Junhui is still madly in love with Minghao but he has grown to accept his death. This is the part where Junhui also recognizes that it’s okay to not be okay after the person you loved the most has left you.

He presses on the last key and lets it ring throughout the concert hall, the audience bursting out into applause when the young pianist has finished playing. Even after Junhue exited the stage he could still hear the applause from the audience.

“You did great!” Ming Ming hands Junhui a handkerchief.

“Thank you.” Junhui wipes off his sweat.

“We’re all going for a round of drinks, do you want to come?”

Junhui pauses for a moment but he nods his head no. Trying to hide his sadness, Ming Ming smiles at him and leaves the building. As soon as Junhui sees Ming Ming enter a cab, he lets out a breath of relief. He loosens the tie around his neck and pops open a few buttons on his shirt. Without thinking much about it, he reenters the concert hall he just played in and takes a seat.

That’s all he did.

Junhui just sat in the audience chairs and analyzed the empty stage. Everything from the pattern of the wooden floors, the light shining directly above the piano, and of course the piano itself. Junhui doesn’t know how long he has been sitting in there but he finds himself drifting off. Well, that was until the heavy doors on the stage entrance creaked open.

A young boy walked across the stage straight to the piano without even taking a look at his surroundings. Just by the looks of it Junhui was able to tell that he was oblivious. Just when he was about to say something to him, the boy took off his backpack and sat down on the seat. He lightly pressed a random key on the piano and pressed another. Amused, Junhui stayed seated and watched the boy. It took a while but the boy eventually started playing the piano properly. Taken aback, Junhui closed his eyes and listened to the sound of his piano.

_Gymnopédie No.1_

One of his favorites. When the piece was over, Junhui stood up and slowly started clapping. This caused the boy to jump up from the seat and immediately grab his backpack off the floor.

“Wait!” Junhui called out to him before he reached the exit of the stage. Surprisingly, the boy stopped in his tracks, his back facing Junhui.

“What is your name? And if you don’t mind me asking, what are you doing here?” Junhui jumped on the stage and started walking towards him.

“My name is…” He turned around and faced Junhui, “Minghao.”

Junhui was the type to hold his composure but as soon as he saw the face of the young man and learned his name, he couldn’t help but get teary eyed.

“Minghao, when—what are you doing here?” Junhui turned around and started walking towards the piano.

“I wanted to play,” the boy’s footsteps echoed through the concert hall. “And I wanted to see you.”

“Is that so?” Junhui touches the piano. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

Junhui turned around and faced the boy that looked like his past lover. Minghao’s eyes lit up at the sound of those words, he took off his backpack and searched for something.

“Where is it…?” He reached deeper into the bag. “There it is!” Minghao pulled out a musical notebook and handed it to Junhui.

“What’s this?” He held onto the notebook with care.

“It’s my music! If you wouldn’t mind… can you perhaps…”

“Play one of your pieces?” Minghao nodded at his words.

“Okay.” Without hesitation, Junhui opened up the book and set it in front of him.

Minghao jumped off the stage quickly and sat in one of the audience’s seats. Junhui smiled at the younger and looked back at the notebook and read the notes before playing them.

The start of the piece was also the start of a new life with Minghao.

–

“Get rid of the kid, why don’t you.” Ming Ming glared at Minghao.

“He’s my apprentice.” Junhui spread some jam on toast and handed it to Minghao.

“Tell him to get rid of those crazy colors in his hair first then I’ll accept him as your apprentice.” Ming Ming basically tore a bite of his toast.

“You know, I can hear you? If you have something to say, say it to me directly. ” Minghao glared back at Ming Ming.

“This kid.” Ming Ming raised his hand at Minghao.

“No fighting.” Junhui happily sipped on his cup of coffee as he read the morning newspapers. “Minghao, hurry up and eat. We have a lot of practice to do.”

“Yes.” Minghao smiled at Junhui and continued to happily eat the rest of his breakfast.”

–

It’s been a year since Junhui started teaching Minghao how to perfect his piano skills but lately, Minghao has been acting differently.

“Minghao, what’s wrong?”

“The earth is suffocating.”

Those words bring back nostalgia of Junhui’s past. Sadly, it was no longer him who was in a slump.

“Just play, you’ll feel better.”

Minghao nodded and started pressing on the piano’s keys once again. Junhui smiled to himself and closed his eyes, losing himself in the sound of Minghao’s music.

“Jun gege, why do you play piano?” Minghao stopped playing his current song and turned to look at Junhui who was sitting in the audience seats.

“I never really thought about it…” Junhui runs his hands through his hair. “I guess you can say I started playing because I wanted something to do.”

“Is that so?” Minghao presses random keys on the board.

“What about you?”

“To be remembered,” Minghao answers without hesitation. “I want to create something beautiful so people can remember me.”

“Minghao, you already did that.”

“No. I’m not like you, gege. I can’t leave my mark on this world. “

“What do you mean?”

Minghao sighs and gets up from the seat.

“Let’s not meet up anymore,” Minghao glances down at Junhui from the stage.

–

Another year passes and Junhui hasn’t seen Minghao since.

“Jun, please leave your room.” Ming Ming calls out from his bedroom door.

Junhui doesn’t answer, though. He’s been like this ever since Minghao decided to no longer meet up. The sad thing is that Junhui let Minghao slip through his fingers so easily.

“I’ll be back later.”

Junhui gets up from his bed after he hears his apartment door shut. He gets in the shower and puts on a clean shirt, something he hasn’t done for days. Junhui basically drags his feet to the nearest convenience store and buys a cup ramen. Junhui sits in the store and lifelessly stares outside the window while watching people pass by.

“Gege?”

Junhui immediately recognizes who that voice that belong to but for some reason he couldn’t bring himself to turn around.

“It is you…” Minghao sits on the stool next to Junhui and looks out the window with him.

Silence hung between the two men but just seeing Minghao at this point was enough for Junhui to feel happy. Minghao struggles to open his candy bar but he somehow manages to do it with one hand only.

“What’s wrong with your arm?” Junhui looks over to the younger and melts when they both make eye contact.

“Ah… last year I was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Eventually the rest of my body will stop working—just like my arm.”

Minghao takes a bite out of his candy bar and continues to look out the window. Meanwhile, Junhui was close to breaking down in tears. Junhui was sulking on his own this past year when all Minghao did was walk through his pain alone. Why is it always the person he loves the most that has to suffer in the cruelest ways?

“Minghao,” Junhui stood up from the stool. “Let me take you home, I’ll make you a warm meal.”

The younger smiled and got up from the stool and started heading out the convenience store, Junhui following closely behind. The two walked in silence and looked up at the summer sky.

“Junhui, I’m sorry.”

Junhui was shocked to hear his real name leave Minghao’s mouth.

“How did you know my real name?” Junhui stopped walking and stared at the boy’s back.

“I don’t know… I just knew.” Minghao shrugged his shoulders and continued walking.

“Minghao, I have been thinking about what you said. You know… about being remembered.”

“What have you been thinking?”

“We’re all going to be forgotten eventually but that wouldn’t happen to you. You’ll never be forgotten as long as I stay alive. I have been waiting for you for such a long time and not once did I forget a single detail about you. So, it may not make sense to you right now but I just wanted to let you know that.”

Minghao smiled gently and pushed Junhui’s shoulder a little.

“What are you, immortal?”

“Maybe.” Junhui lets out a smirk and walks side by side with his lover.

That’s right. Junhui will never forget about Minghao. Their time is limited but Junhui doesn’t mind—because he would wait a life time for Minghao over and over again.

END.


End file.
